For Queen and Country
by Marle
Summary: Twenty years after Cyrus's death, Queen Leene reflects on her life and the fallen soldier


For Queen and Country

By Marle

Leene sat up by her vanity, brushing her long golden locks free of any small knots that had been acquired through taking her hair down. She had placed her crown next to her hand mirror and stared at it. Slowly she put her brush down and picked up the tiara, looking at her reflection in it. Leene sighed heavily and put it down, placing her head on her hand. She was thirty-nine now, no longer a young woman.

It had been ten years since the war with Magus had ended and twenty since Cyrus had died. Her heart ached when she remembered him. While she did love her husband, now with a young son whom she bared with him, when she was young she was unfaithful.

She had married the King when she was only sixteen, he was ten years her senior. Cyrus came into the services of the Knights of the Square Table shortly afterwards. He was her body guard for a year before an affair ensued, and as much as it pained her to admit all these years later, she always loved him even more than her King. Cyrus had shown her a passion she long-since sought with her husband, yet never satisfied. There were days when Cyrus would take her out to the lake, bathe in the waterfall with her before making love to her on the lake's banks. His long brown hair and his clear blue eyes still haunted her at night. His touch, the musk of his skin, his kiss all engraved into her mind for eternity, taunting her as she knew she could never be with him again.

Brushing the mist from her eyes she put her head down on her bureau, recalling the night before Cyrus left to face Magus.

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"So you are going then Cyrus…" She whispered in a concerned voice, looking over the balcony down over the town, lighted light the stars on earth, gently glistening in the distance.

"Yes Leene… I will do what is needed to protect King and Country. Magus must not be allowed to continue his reign of evil. Two years have passed now, two years too long and we mustn't allow it to damage our people further." Cyrus replied quietly, moving next to her. Leene turned sharply.

"Why must you go though? The King, himself, said that we need you! I need you!" She cried, clearly upset. Though he loved her so, Cyrus was sworn to protect her and she knew he would follow that oath until his grave. Cyrus turned and gave her a warm smile, placing a hand under her chin.

"My darling, I'm doing this for you. If any harm should come to you as a result of fire onto the castle, I would never forgive myself if anything happened to you and I could have prevented it. You need not worry, Leene, we know where the weapon to defeat Magus is and it's in our grasp. Glenn and I will leave tomorrow to retrieve it and return within but a few days victorious."

"I have such a horrid feeling, Cyrus." Leene confessed. Cyrus leaned over and placed a gentle kiss upon her lips. Leene melted against him, wrapping her arms around his neck and allowing the kiss to go deeper. Cyrus let out a low moan as he led her into the shadows of the tower, without breaking his kiss of her. Leene began gasping for air as he moved down her neck, brushing aside the cascade of curls from his path with his hand.

"Cyrus-" She gasped as his body pinned her own against the wall.

"Leene, my love... While I may only part with you for a few days, the mere seconds without you pass with the speed of an eternity." He whispered against her lips. Leene couldn't help but smile at the thought. Indeed, when they were apart the time that passed moved at a torturously slow pace.

"Make love to me Cyrus." She pleaded, pulling him against her further shamelessly, "Make love to me until the sun rises."

"My Queen," Cyrus groaned, lifting her up and bringing her into her chambers. "I will love you until the next eve if you so desire."

As he took her that night, Leene shamelessly professed her love to him over and over again and he reciprocated the confession. Glenn stood down the hall, outside the closed door, red in embarrassment as he heard the voices of his friend and Queen in their throws of passion.

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It was days later when Glenn returned, no longer human but a frog. Leene was more than relieved when the young man had returned to human form and decided to carry out the remainder of his days with Lucca. It was more than what she could say for her beloved Cyrus. Devastated by his death, Leene threw herself into isolation and disconnected herself from everyone. She often thought of him now in her old age more on the side of her husband's impression. Had he known about her affair? It was impossible for him to miss on account that all of his closest comrades and her personal maids seemed to know, they were always gossiping. Perhaps even if he did know he would not address it for the sake of her face as well as his own. Leene did love her husband, but Cyrus always left the question of "what if--?" on her mind. Surly it was possible they could have conceived a child and cause uproar amongst the critics on her character and the King's. If he was unable to keep his wife loyal to him, what did it say about his country? Perhaps that is why he never addressed it to her or anyone else.

The King became more loving to her after Cyrus's death, spending more time with and attending to her. It was a nice change, but still she grieved Cyrus. She knew her grievance was not alone, the King grieved Cyrus, the knights grieved Cyrus, the kingdom grieved Cyrus, and above all Glenn grieved Cyrus. The poor boy blamed himself for his friend's death and sought vengeance till it was granted. She smiled gently recalling him bidding her farewell.

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"So you are leaving us Glenn?" Guardia asked.

"Yes my liege. My place is beside my lady." Glenn replied with a respectful bow, looking back at Lucca, who was sitting on the wing of the Epoch.

"I understand." Leene said, placing a hand on her husband's arm. The prince peaked out behind his mother's skirt and up at Glenn, whom smiled and kneeled to his level.

"Be well and sound of health little prince, the future depends on thee." Glenn said, patting his head. Glenn bowed to his King and Queen and turned.

"God speed Glenn, we can never thank you enough for all you've done for us and our country." The King said, proudly. Glenn hopped up into the Epoch and Lucca slid in as well.

"I was doing what thou asked of me. I kept a promise to a dear friend of mine. 'For Queen and Country' was what I was living by." Glenn, flashing a grin at Leene. The King nodded and put a hand on his wife's shoulder

"For Queen and Country indeed, my friend." He agreed with an affectionate smile. Leene returned the gesture and with that the Epoch took off and she never saw Glenn since.

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Leene felt a sense of closure with Glenn's departure. With him went the past and followed him was the future. Cyrus's loss was always to be remembered and marked as a national day, where people from all over the world gathered at his gravesite to pay respect to their fallen hero. Indeed while he was not with her in spirit, he was always watching over her.

-fin-


End file.
